Abandoned plantations in Idukki heighten human-wildlife conflict threats

As rising chaotic carnal attacks proceed to endanger residents, abandoned beverage and rubber plantations successful the territory are providing harmless shelters for wildlife, which poses a terrible menace to adjacent communities

According to Forest section officials, a tiger released astir 2 months agone astatine the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) successful Thekkady has been camping successful the abandoned beverage plantations of Vandiperiyar. Despite repeated attempts, wood officials person failed to seizure the large cat. Similarly, successful the Peruvanthanam area, abandoned rubber plantations bordering the wood person led to predominant chaotic elephant attacks.

Forest section records amusement that successful February 2025, 45-year-old Sofia Ismail, a nonmigratory of Kompanpara adjacent Peruvanthanam, was killed by a chaotic elephant that had taken structure successful an abandoned beverage estate. In different incidental successful July 2025, a 64-year-old husbandman named Purushothaman was killed by a chaotic elephant portion moving successful a rubber plantation astatine Mathamba, besides adjacent Peruvanthanam.

Kottayam Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Prabhul Agarwal said that areas that erstwhile hosted thriving rubber and beverage plantations are present overgrown with chaotic bushes, making it casual for elephants and different chaotic animals to instrumentality refuge. “I person submitted a missive to the District Collector listing the abandoned estates and demanding contiguous steps to wide the overgrowth,” the authoritative said.

“Forest officials person been moving continuously for respective days to seizure the tiger successful Vandiperiyar, but the abandoned beverage plantations let the large feline to stay hidden. If these chaotic bushes are cleared, the animals won’t campy adjacent quality habitations,” Mr. Agarwal added.

Easy prey

“The casual availability of cattle arsenic prey is simply a large attraction for these animals. If the authorities bash not instrumentality steps to wide the overgrowth, it volition lone pb to much human-animal struggle successful these bordering areas,” said different elder official.

In divisions including Ranni, pineapple farming wrong rubber plantations is drafting chaotic elephants to quality habitations. A elder authoritative noted that elephants task retired specifically to devour the pineapples. Despite repeated demands from the section to halt pineapple cultivation adjacent wood borders, the signifier continues. “Wild elephants are presently camping successful the abandoned rubber plantations of Peruvanthanam, and determination is simply a precocious accidental they volition scope areas similar Mundakayam, drawn by the pineapple farming successful adjacent rubber plantations,” the authoritative warned.